Exhaust treating apparatus



Jan. 12, 1932. E 5 1,840,862

EXHAUST TREATING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 20. 1928 -III:

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 12, 1932 PIATEN'IFOFFICEY JEAN FRANCIS WEBB, sn,or new Yonx, N. Y.

nxmus'r rnna'rme Arranazrus Application filed. December 20, 1928. SerialNo. 827,287.

This invention relates to mechanism for receiving the exhaust gases frominternal combustion engines and so acting upon the same as to dischargethem to atmosphere free from poisonous fumes in a cooled state andnoiselessly.

The first and most important object of the invention is to provide amechanism for so acting upon the exhaust gases as to convert the carbonmonoxide gas which is always present (from seven percent to ten percentof the volumeof the exhaust) into harmless carbon dioxide, beforepassing the exhaust gases into the atmosphere. In order to accomplishthis object it is necessary to supply the exhaust gases with sufiicientoxygen to change the carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide. Pure aircontains approximately twenty-one percent of oxygen, but experience hasshown that, while the oxygen of the air will eventually neutralizecarbon monoxide the percentage of neutralization under ordinaryconditions is not sufficiently rapid, especially where there is heavytraflic, to prevent many of the deleterious effects of slight carbonmonoxide poisoning, and recent investigations have shown that a largeproportion of the urban increase of cardiac afilictions is due to theoften repeated, though soning. Therefore, second only to theneutralization itself, the real and practical problem has been to effectthe neutralization so rapidly that it is completed during the passage ofthe gases from the engine and before the exhaust is delivered into thesurrounding atmosphere for inhalation by the ublic.

WVith the knowledge that in this case, as in many others, heat hastensthe-chemical reaction, the problem became one of supplying a sufiicientvolume of heated air to the exhaust so that the chemical reaction mightbe accomplished within the mechanism itself before the passage of theexhaust to atmosw phere.

Therefore, in the construction of this mechanism, provision has beenmade for a super-abundance of oxygen-bearing air to be brought into thespace between the inner L, and outer shells for obtaining the desiredvery light, attacks of this insidious gas poieffect, and while thisoxygen-bearing air is passing through the mechanism, the heat, necessaryfor hastening the chemical combi nation of the oxygen with the carbonmonoxide, is automatically obtained from the source of the monoxideitself by means of the ingenious construction of the mechanism whichradiates the heat of the exhaust into the passin air currents, so thatwhen the poisonous ex aust reaches'the mixing chamber of the B0mechanism, having been expanded, cooled and diffused en route, thechemical combination with the heated oxygen is instantly and completelyeffected there'before the expulsion into the atmosphere-as a harmlessprodnot.

The second object of the invention is to so cool the hot exhaust whileit is assing through the mechanism that, when it is finally dischargedthrough the exit pipe, it is so cold that it cannot possibly ignitegasoline or gasoline vapors, thus making the vehicle fire-proof shouldan accident happen to start a leak in the gasoline tank.

A further object of the invention is to deaden and silence the explosivenoise made by engine exhausts.

Carbon monoxide kills; but noise is an irritating annoyance, and thecomfort of silent exhausts, which'makes the automobile public demandmuflling, is incidentally furnished by this mechanism, while preparingthe exhaust for the more important feature of neturalization, byconducting the exhaust through a series of expanding, cooling,condensing and silencing chambers within the inner shell. Spacingpartitions between the said chambers have near-central openingsfor thepassage of the exhaust, and these openings have deflecting vanesarranged at such an angle that the exhaust and the waves of sound aredeflected outwardly and forced against both the periphery of therespective chambers and the imperforated rims of the said artitions tolessen,andfinallycompletelydea en,"all waves of sound. The rotary motionimparted by these deflecting vanes hastens the cooling, condensation andconsequent silencin of the cxhaust, and their action may be ma e moreeffective if the angles of the vanes are reversed ume, when the car isat rest with the in each successive partition. These near-centralopenings are so designed that the entire exhaust passing through'them isdeflected by the vanes of the respective partitions, there being nocentral hole through which some portion of the exhaust might escapewithout deflection.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mechanism which willattain the three principal objects hereinbefore enumerated and at thesame time reduce the customary back pressure so greately that the powerof the engine will be noticeably increased for either climbing,'quickacceleration, etc. thereby adding largely to the comfort and economy ofoperation.

Yet another object is to provide a mechanism in which the parts are soassembled as to permit ready removal of those parts which require (aftera long interval of use) to be cleaned of accumulated carbon deposits.

Further, it is an object of the invention to'provide an exhaust treatingapparatus embodying the novel features before referred to, whichapparatus will be light in weight, of rugged construction, high inefficiency and low in cost of manufacture.

Further, it is an object to provide the apparatus with means to insurethe fresh air flowing into the apparatus in suflicient v 01- enginerunning, to attain the desired results.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outhereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, features ofconstruction and in the combination, connection and arrangement ofparts, hereinafter more fully described, and then pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of myexhaust treating apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 isa front elevation thereof. Figure 3 is a cross section on theline 3-3 Figure 1, looking forwardly.

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 44 of Figure 1, lookingrearwardly.

Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, lookingrearwardly.

In the drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate like partsin all of the figures, 1 represents the inner shell which is providedwith a front head consisting of the frusto-conical portion 2 and. thedisk portion 3, the said portions 2 and 3 being apertured to fit ontothe exhaust intake pipe section 4 to which they are preferably welded orotherwise permanently secured.

urrounding-the inner shell 1 and spaced a suitable distance therefrom isan outer shell 5, the over-all length of which is greater than that ofthe inner shell. The outer shell is provided at its front end,preferably,

my invention consists in the novel with a frusto-conical portion 7,though the front end may be left cylindrical if desired. The front endof the outer shell and the front head of the inner shell are connectedby radial spacers 6. These spacers are supplied in suflicient number toafford a good mechanical support and are preferably made as thin aspossible so as not to obstruct the free inflowing of air to the outershell. These spacers 6 are preferably welded or otherwise per-- manentlysecured to the inner and outer shells 1 and 5 respectively so that theseshells may be rigidly secured together at their front ends.

At the rear the outer shell 5 yond the inner shell 1 and, as at thefront, radial spacers are provided. These spacers 8, like the spacers 6,are preferably welded or otherwise permanently secured to the shells 1and 5. This makes a very rigid unit of the two shells and the exhaustintake pipe section 4. Nuts 9 are also preferably welded to the outerend of the shell 5 within its circumference to cooperate with screwbolts 12 of the second unit of the device now to be described.

The second unit of the device comprises an outer shell and hot airoutlet cone 10 having a flange 11 at its base end to fit over the outershell 5, to the rear end of which it is secured by the screw bolts 12and nuts 9.

The outer shell and hot air outlet cone 10 has its apex end to the rearand terminates in a cylindrical shell 13 comprising a mix-' ing chamber.Disk carrying rods 14 are secured to the cone 10 and project parallellyinto the inner shell adjacent the periphery thereof. The outer or rearends of the rods 14 are projected through apertures in the cone 10 andextend outwardly substantially near to the surface of the cone for apurpose presently referred to.

Fitted onto the rods 14, which pass through apertures therein, are aplurality of silencing and diffusing disks 17 having fan blade-likevanes 18. The disks 17 are spaced apart at proper intervals by diskspacers 19 consisting of short tube lengths slipped onto the rods 14.The disks 17 have their vanes 18 so arranged that alternate disks willdeflect the exhaust gases in opposite directions.

16 is a front supporting disk mounted on the rods 14, the rod ends beingupset or riveted over to hold the members 17, 19 and 16 in place on therods in their proper positions relative one to another. The frontsupporting disk 16 has a central aperture 29 of a diameter to fit snuglyover the rear portion of the exhaust intake ipe section 4, the end ofthat pipe section being preferably tapered toward its axis as at 28 toenable the disks 16 'to be slipped over into place when the second unitis being assembled to thefir'st or shell unit.

20 designates an exhaust outlet cone whose projects he base is of adiameter to fit within the inner shell 1. The inner end of the exhaustoutlet cone 20 serves as an abutment for the adjacent silencingand.diflusing disk 17. The cone 20. is apertured to permit passage ofthe rods 14, to which rods it is permanently secured by spot weldingor-otherwisel The exhaust outlet cone 20 at its apex end is providedwith a discharge tube 21 that is held concentric to the cylindricalmixing chamber tube 13 into which it projects slightly, the tube 21being of a lesser diameter than the tube 13 so as to leave a passagebetween the two tubes for the hot air delivered by the cone 10.

In the present invention there is provided a secondary air intake cone22 also supported by the rods 14 to which cone the bent ends 15 aresecured by welding or in any other suitable way so that the secondaryintake conewill become a part of the second unit of the apparatus. Thesecondary air intake cone 22 has its apex end provided with acylindrical outlet flange 23 to which the mixing chamber proper 25 issecured by screw bolts 26 and nuts 24.

The mixing chamber proper 25 also functions as the final discharge pipeof the apparatus, from the outlet end 27 of which the treated exhaustgases are siliently and safely discharged.

It is to be observed that preferably the space between the 'cones 10 and20 tapers from a larger area adjacent the inner and outer shells to asmaller area at the discharge end. In this way the hot air is caused topass with great velocity through the primary mixing chamber 13 where itcomes into direct contact with the exhaust gases that pass through thereduced outlet 21 of the cone 20 and thus bring the exhaust gases andair stream into intimate contact at considerable velocity.

Furthermore by reason of the construction of the cones 20, 10 and 22,should the engine be running while the auto is at rest, the exhaustgases passing through the outlet 21 into the primary mixing chamberwithin the pipe 13, causes the fresh air to be drawn in at the front ofthe outer shell 5 on the principle of the injector. Likewise the cone 10and cylindrical pipe 13 in association with the cone 22 acts as aninjector to draw a secondary supply of fresh air through the passagebetween the cones 10 and 22 and deliver the same into the final mixingchamber into which the primary mixture from the chamber within the pipe13 is also delivered, thus causing a final mixing of the primary mixedgases and air and the secondary charge of fresh air so that the carbonmonoxide by that time will have been reduced to the minimum.

Furthermore by reason of the reduction of the outlet 21- of the cone 20and the discharge of the exhaust gases first into a pi e 13 of anintermediate diameter and from t at pipe into a pipe 2325 of a stillgreater diameter, the exhaust gases are not only mixed first with thehot air andthen with the secondary supply of fresh air, but aresimultaneously expanded with the result that all back pressure of theengine is eliminated and this expansion insures the complete silencingof the discharge.

The reversing of the deflecting vanes of the silencing and di'iiusingdisks 17 to cause the exhaust gases to flow alternatelyv in a clockwiseand then a counterclockwise direcsound waves and making the exhaustnoiseless and also so to retard the flow that more of the heat will betaken ofi through the inner shell and be absorbed'by the currents of airpassing between the shells than would be the case where the exhaustgases passed straight through the inner shell.

Another important feature of my present invention is the fact that thereare no cross partitions between the inner and outer shells to retard orobstruct the flow of air in any way.

Furthermore by providing the outlet cones with asingle relatively largedischarge opening the flow of the exhaust gases is not retarded but thegases are discharged in the form of a single stream at sufficientvelocity to bring about the proper suction to draw in the requisiteamount of air.

The mixing chamber within the pipe 25 may be made of variable lengths tosuit the engine and machine with which it is used, because of the factthat by the time the gases are ready to be discharged from the final.mixing chamber they will have been not only rendered comparativelyharmless from the standpoint of health but will have been cooledsufliciently so that any possible danger of fire from over-heated pipesor sparks is avoided. No matter how hot theexhaust entering the pipesection 4, by the time it leaves the discharge end 27 of my apparatus ithas been cooled sufiiciently to prevent any danger of fire. In fact,experience has shown that with my apparatus one can hold ones hand closeto the outlet 27 without experiencing discomfort.

By enclosing the inner shell within the outer shell and causing the airto pass be,- tween these shells from end to end of the inner shell, theair absorbs the heat from the gases within the inner shell, thusenabling the temperature of the hot air and exhaust gases to approachone another closely by the time they are intermingled at the firstmixing chamber 13, thus increasing the efliciency of thechemical-reaction between the oxygen of the hot air and the carbonmonoxide of the hot exhaust gases.

From the foregoing it will be observed that by my apparatus the entireprocess of expanding, cooling, condensing and silencing of exhaust gasesis automatically effected within a single inner shell or tube, whichcould replace the mufliers now in daily use on automobiles and do betterwork than they are doing. However, while such construction alone attainsa portion of the objects of my invention it does not destroy orneutralize the carbon monoxide; therefore, for the purpose of securingthis most important result in a most efficient manner, an outer shell ispreferably placed around the inner shell to heat and control thecurrents of pure air bearing the oxygen necessary automatically toneutralize the poisonous carbon monoxide before it is passed out throughthe discharge tube as a cool and harmless mixture.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought the construction, operation and themany advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in theart to which it appertains.

Vhat I claim is:

1. In exhaust treating apparatus, an inner shell, an outer shell, frontand rear radial partitions securing said shells in spaced relation, saidinner shell having a front head, an exhaust intake pipe mounted in saidinner shells front head and projected into the inner shell, means towhirl the exhaust gases in alternately opposite directions along theaxis of the inner shell as the gases pass throughthe inner shell, andmeans at the discharge end of the inner shell for positively causing theexhaust gases to draw air into the outer shell and cause it to pass fromthe front to the rear thereof, and a mixing chamber into which said airand gases are v delivered.

2. In exhaust treating apparatus, an inner shell, an outer shell, frontand rear radial partitions securing said shells in spaced relation, saidinner shell having a front head, an exhaust intake pipe mounted in saidinner shells front head and projected into the inner shell, means towhirl the exhaust gases in alternately opposite directions along theaxis of. the inner shell as the gases pass through the inner shell,means at the discharge end of the inner shell for causing the exhaustgases to draw air into the outer shell and cause it to pass from thefront to the rear thereof, a primary mixing chamber into which the gasesand air are delivered from said shells, a final mixing chamber intowhich the mixture from the primary mixing chamber is delivered, andmeans to inject a secondary supply of air into said final mixing chamberwith said mixture for the purposes described.

3. Exhaust treating apparatus comprising two detachable units, one ofsaid units comprising an inner shell having a discharge end, an outershell having an inlet end and a discharge end spaced around said innershell, an exhaust inlet pipe section delivering into the inner shell,and spacers between said shells, the aforesaid parts being securedtogether as one body, the other of said units comprising an exhaustoutlet cone located at the discharge end of the inner shell, a hot airoutlet cone located at the discharge end of said outer shell, said coneshaving discharge throats, said exhaust outlet cone delivering into thethroat of said hot air outlet cone, a mixing chamber into which saidcones deliver their contents, and means to sustain said cones and mixingchamber as a unit in position with respect to said first mentioned unit.

4. Exhaust treating apparatus comprising two detachable units, one ofsaid units comprising an inner shell having a discharge end, an outershell having an inlet end and a discharge end spaced around said innershell, an exhauts inlet pipe section delivering into the inner shell,and spacers between said shells, the aforesaid parts being securedtogether as one body, the other of said units comprising an exhaustoutlet cone located at the discharge end of the inner shell, a hot airoutlet cone located at the discharge end of said outer shell, said coneshaving discharge throats, said exhaust outlet cone delivering into thethroat of said hot air outlet cone, to effect a primary mixture of theexhaust gases with hot air, a final mixing chamber into which theprimary mixture is delivered, the aforesaid parts of said other unitbeing secured together as one, and means to sustain said second unit inposition with respect to said first unit.

5. Exhaust treating apparatus comprising two detachable units, one ofsaid units comprising an inner shell having a discharge end, an outershell having an inlet end and a discharge end spaced around said innershell, an exhaust inlet pipe section delivering into the inner shell,and spacers between said shells, the aforesaid parts being securedtogether as one body, the other of said units comprising an exhaustoutlet cone located at the discharge end of the inner shell, a hot airoutlet cone located at the discharge end of said outer shell, said coneshaving discharge throats, said exhaust out-let cone delivering into thethroatof said hot air outlet cone to effect a primary mixture of theexhaust gases with hot air, a final mixing chamber into which the rimarymixture is delivered, and means or passing a secondary supply of freshair into said final mixing chamber with the primary mixture, and meansto secure said units together.

6. Exhaust treating apparatus comprising two units, one of said unitscomprising an inner shell having a discharge end, an outer shell havingan inlet end and a discharge end spaced around said inner shell, anexthe aforesaid parts beingsecured together,

the other of said units comprising an exhaust outlet cone located at thedischarge end of the inner shell, a hot air outlet cone located at thedischarge end of said outer shell, said cones having discharge throats,said exhaust outlet cone delivering into the throat of said hot airoutlet cone, a mixing chamber into which said cones deliver theircontents, carrying rods securing said cones in spaced relation, saidrods extending into said inner shell, silencing and diffusion disksmountedon said rods within said inner shell and spaced apart, asupporting disk connecting the ends of said rods at the front, saidsupporting disk having an aperture to slidably fit over the dischargeend of said exhaust inlet pipe, and means for sustaining said cones,rods and disks as a unit in place on said first mentioned unit. 7

7 Exhaust treating apparatus comprising two units,'one of said unitscomprising an inner shell having a discharge end, an outer shell havingan inlet end and a discharge end spaced around said inner shell, anexhaust inlet pipe section delivering into the inner shell, and spacersbetween said shells, the aforesaid parts being secured together, theother of said units comprising an exhaust outlet coneilocated at thedischarge end of the inner shell, a hot air outlet cone located at thedischarge end of said outer shell, said cones having discharge throats,said exhaust outlet cone delivering into the throat of said hot airoutlet cone, a mixing chamber into which said cones deliver theircontents, carrying rods securing said cones in spaced relation, saidrods extending into said inner shell, silencing and diffusion disksmounted on said rods within said inner shell and spaced apart, asupporting disk connecting the ends of said rods at the' front, saidsupporting disk having an aperture to slidably fit over the dischargeend of said exhaust inlet pipe,

means for sustaining said cones, rods anddisks as a unit in place onsaid first mentioned unit, said sustaining means comprising a flange onsaid hot air outlet cone which is fitted over the rear end of said outershell, and means securing said flange to said outer shell. I

8. Exhaust treating apparatus comprising two detachable'units, one ofsaid units comprising an inner shell having a discharge end, an outershell having an inlet end and a discharge end spaced around said innershell, an exhaust inlet pipe section delivering into the inner shell,and spacers between said shells, the aforesaid parts being secured to-vgether, the other of said units comprising an exhaust outlet conelocated at the discharge end of the inner shell, a hot air outlet cone Nlocated at the discharge end of 'said outer shell, said cones havingdischarge throats, said exhaust outlet cone delivering into the throatof said hot air outlet cone, a mixing chamber into which said conesdeliver their contents, a secondary air inlet cone having a dischargethroat into which said hot air outlet cone delivers, a combined mixingchamber and discharge-pipe secured to said secondary air inlet conesthroat and into which the gases and air are delivered.

9. Exhaust treating apparatus comprising two detachable units, one ofsaid units comprising an inner shell having a discharge end, an outershell having an inlet end and a discharge end spaced around the innershell, an exhaust inlet pipe section delivering into said inner' shell,and spacers between said shells, the aforesaid parts being securedtoliver their contents, a secondary air inlet cone having a dischargethroat into which said hot air outlet cone delivers, a combined mixingchamber and discharge pipe secured to said secondary air inlet conesthroat and into which the gases and air are delivered, said hot airoutlet cone having a flange secured to said outer shell for sustainingsaid second unit in place Withrespect to said first unit.

10. In exhaust treating apparatus, a first and a second unit, the firstunit comprising an inner shell and an outer shell, front and rearspacers connecting said shells and holding same in spaced relation, ahead for the front of said inner shell which includes a coni-forinmember having an aperture, an exhaust intake pipe section fitted intosaid aperture and projected into said inner shell,

the second unit comprising a set of carrying rods, a set of silencingand diffusing disks fitted on said rods,- ineans spacing said disksapart, a supporting disk to which the front ends of said rods aresecured, said supporting disk having an aperture to fit over theprojecting portion of said exhaust intake pipe, an exhaust outlet conesecured on said rods in position to extend rearwardly from said innershell, said disks being located in said inner shell when the parts areassembled, a hot air outlet cone also secured on said rods over saidexhaust outlet cone and spaced therefrom, a secondary air intake conesecured to said rods over said hot air outlet cone and spaced therefrom,means to secure said hot air outlet cone to the rear end of said outershell to support the second unit in place, said exhaust outlet conedelivering into the air stream which passes through the outlet of saidhot air outlet cone, and said hot air outlet cone delivering into theair stream passing through the outlet of said secondary air intake cone.

11. In exhaust treating apparatus, a first and a second unit, the firstunit comprising an inner shell and an outer shell, front and rearspacers connecting said shells and holding same in spaced relation, ahead for the front of said inner shell which includes a coni-form memberhaving an aperture, an exhaust in take'pipe section fitted into saidaperture and projected into said inner shell, the second unit comprisinga set of carrying rods, a set of silencing and diifusing disks fitted onsaid rods, means spacing said disks apart, a supporting disk to whichthe front ends of said rods are secured, said supporting disk having anaperture to fit over the projecting portion of said exhaust intake pipe,an exhaustoub let cone secured on said rods in position to extendrearwardly from said inner shell, said disks being located in said innershell when the parts are assembled, a hot air outlet cone also securedon said rods over said exhaust outlet cone and spaced therefrom, asecondary air intake cone secured to said rods over said hot air outletcone and spaced therefrom, means to secure said hot air outlet cone tothe rear end of said outer shell to support the second unit in place,said exhaust outlet cone delivering into the air stream which passesthrough the outlet of said hot air outlet cone, and said hot air outletcone delivering into the air stream passing through the outlet of saidsecondary air intake cone, said second unit also including a finalmixing chamber and discharge pipe into which said secondary intake conedischarges and from which the mixture is delivered to atmosphere.

12. Exhaust treating apparatus comprising two units, one of said unitscomprising an inner shell, an outer shell spaced around said innershell, an exhaust inlet pipe section delivering into the inner shell,and spacers be tween said shells, the aforesaid parts being securedtogether, the other of said units comprising an exhaust outlet conelocated at the discharge end of the inner shell, a hot air outlet conelocated at the discharge end of said outer shell, said cones havingdischarge throats, said exhaust outlet cone delivering into the throatof said hot air outlet cone, a mixing chamber into which said conesdeliver their contents, carrying rods securing said cones in spacedrelation, said rods extending into said inner shell, silencing anddilfusion disks mounted on said rods Within said inner shell and spacedapart, means for supporting the ends of said rods at the front to holdsaid disks and rods in their pro er positions Within said inner shell,means cones, rods and disks as said first mentioned unit.

13. Exhaust treating apparatus comprisa. unit in place on or sustainingsaid ing two units, one of said units comprising an inner shell, anouter shell spaced around said inner shell, an exhaust inlet pipesection delivering into the inner shell, and spacers between saidshells, the aforesaid parts being secured together, the other of saidunits comprising an exhaust outlet cone located at the discharge end ofthe inner shell, a hot air outlet cone located at the discharge end ofsaid outer shell, said cones having discharge throats, said exhaustoutlet cone delivering into the throat ofsaid hot air outlet cone, amixing chamber into which said cones deliver their contents carryingrods securing said cones in spaced relation, said rods extending intosaid inner shell, silencing and diffusion disks mounted on said rodsWithin said inner shell and spaced apart, means for supporting the endsof said rods at the front to hold said disks and rods in their properpositions Within said inner shell, means for sustaining said cones, rodsand disks as a unit in place on said first mentioned unit, saidsustaining means comprising a coupling between said hot air outlet coneand the rear end of said outer shell.

JEAN FRANCIS WEBB, SR.

